by Brett Larner
Women`s Marathon
Defending Olympic marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi withdrew from the Olympic marathon on Aug. 12 as a result of an injury she sustained in training on July 25. Alternate Tomo Morimoto, a teammate of Yurika Nakamura at Tenmaya, is also injured, meaning that Japan will field only two runners in the women`s marathon.
Yurika Nakamura
Born: Apr. 1, 1986, Hyogo Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Tenmaya
Olympic Event PB: 2:25:51, 3/9/08
Season Highlights:
-3rd place and PB, Hyogo Relay Carnival 10000m: 31:31.95, 4/27/08
-Winner, Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon: 2:25:51, 3/9/08
Career Highlights:
-Winner, Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2008
-World Road Running Championships, 2006-2007
-World XC Championships, 2005
-Nat’l T&F Championships 5000m, 2006-2007
-Nat’l T&F Championships 10000m, 2006
Yurika Nakamura is the least experienced member of the Japanese distance running team, earning a slot on the Beijing Olympics team by winning her debut marathon, the 2008 Nagoya International Women`s Marathon. Despite her lack of credentials Nakamura was thoroughly convincing in eliminating a field of many of Japan`s best marathon women to take the final Olympic team slot. Her professional team, Tenmaya, has had marathoners in the last two Olympics, but neither of these runners performed up to ability or ran well again after their Olympic appearances.
Since earning her Olympic slot Nakamura has shown unusual intensity, making public her goal of beating Beijing teammates Mizuki Noguchi and Reiko Tosa`s 5000m and 10000m PBs. As of this writing she had taken all but Noguchi`s 10000m PB of 31:21.03 which she missed by only 10 seconds. With only one marathon to go by Nakamura is difficult to judge, but the potential she has shown this spring suggests a top ten finish is possible. Gossip magazines published in Japan the day before the Olympic opening ceremonies claim Nakamura has suffered a mental breakdown due to the intense pressure of being part of Japan`s Olympic women`s marathon team, but the truth of such rumors remains to be seen.
Reiko Tosa
Born: June 11, 1973, Ehime Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo
Olympic Event PB: 2:22:46, 2002
Season Highlights:
-World T&F Championships Marathon bronze medalist: 2:30:55, 9/2/07
Career Highlights:
-Silver medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2001
-Bronze medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2007
-Athens Olympics Marathon, 2004
-Winner, 2006 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon and 2004 Nagoya Int’l Women’s Marathon
-World Half Marathon Championships, 1999
-Nat’l T&F Championships 10000m, 2002, 2006
-3rd place, Boston Marathon, 2005
Reiko Tosa stands among the greatest of Japan`s marathon women, a runner who worked her way up from being too slow on the track to earn a spot on a professional team to being a two-time World Championships Marathon medalist and soon-to-be two-time Olympian. Tosa defeated the legendary Naoko Takahashi in heavy rain at the 2006 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon to win a spot on the 2007 Osaka World Championships Marathon team. In Osaka she delivered an inspiring but brutal performance to take the bronze medal and a ticket to Beijing, dropping off the lead pack of five with 2 km to go before grinding her way back up into 3rd place. She has not raced even once since Osaka, suffering first from anemia, then motivational problems, and most recently joint problems in her feet.
A quality performance in Beijing would seem improbable from another athlete, but Tosa has a history of unexpectedly coming back from long periods of injury in time for important races. Just five weeks before last summer`s World Championships Marathon she was on crutches, while she did much of her training for the 2004 Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon, which she won to earn a trip to the Athens Olympics, in the pool. Tosa may well pull off another miraculous comeback in Beijing, but facing as she does five of the eight women in history who have broken 2:20 a medal is unlikely barring upsets in the heat. A 5th place finish by Tosa would be an outstanding result.
Withdrawn:
Mizuki Noguchi
Born: July 3, 1978, Mie Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Sysmex
Olympic Event PB: 2:19:12, 2005 – NR
Season Highlights:
-Winner, Sendai Int’l Half Marathon: 1:08:25, 5/11/08
-Winner and new CR holder, Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon: 2:21:37, 11/18/07
Career Highlights:
-Gold medal, Athens Olympics Marathon, 2004
-NR, marathon: 2:19:12, 2005
-Former NR, half marathon: 1:08:23, 2001
-Silver medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2003
-Winner, 2007 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2005 Berlin Marathon, 2004 Athens Olympics Marathon, 2003 Osaka Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2002 Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon
-World T&F Championships 10000m, 2001
-World Half Marathon Championships, 1999-2002
-World XC Championships, 2000
Defending Olympic Marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi stands ready to become the first woman to win two Olympic titles. After winning the Athens Olympics Marathon, Noguchi ran the current Japanese national record of 2:19:12 to become the 3rd-fastest woman in history behind world record holder Paula Radcliffe of the U.K. and former world record holder Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, both of whom Noguchi defeated in Athens. Noguchi`s fitness continued to improve following her record-setting run, but a series of accidents including a fall in the bathtub kept her out of marathon competition for over two years. During this period she was not idle, however, among other things doing a detailed electronic form analysis to find ways to reduce her vertical hip movement and become more efficient, and developing tactics and training methods to help her defeat strong rivals such as Radcliffe.
The results were clear. At the 2007 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon, a historic race which saw Noguchi face off against fellow sub-2:20 marathoner Yoko Shibui for the first time, Noguchi tore apart her competition, running a negative split course record 2:21:37 despite the 30m downhill in the first half of the race and 30m uphill in the final 5 km. Noguchi was the first woman to break 17 minutes for the uphill final 5 km portion of the course, and her time was the 2nd fastest in the world for the year behind only Chinese rival Zhou Chunxiu’s 2:20:38 on the faster London Marathon course. More importantly, the surging tactics Noguchi employed in the last quarter of the race were clearly designed to break faster competitors.
Since Tokyo Noguchi has been under close observation by the Japanese media, with major television networks airing documentaries on her training and newspapers reporting any information they can glean. Noguchi has handled the pressure extremely well but has nevertheless faced setbacks in her training. In February she cancelled a planned 30 km world record attempt due to insufficient fitness. In March she withdrew from the National Pro Half Marathon Championships after developing a serious rash while training in Kunming, China. Not until May’s Sendai Int’l Half Marathon, which she won in 1:08:25, did Noguchi demonstrate that she was back on track. Her training has been thorough, disciplined and focused since then, and she now stands as at least a moderate favorite for the Beijing gold medal.
Among her potential competition, Paula Radcliffe has been unable to prepare adequately due to a fractured femur. Noguchi's next most dangerous rival, Zhou Chunxiu is in questionable condition. She won a silver medal at last year`s World Championships despite running with an injury but was mostly out of the competitive scene until she ran in April’s Pre-Olympic test marathon. A documentary aired on national television in Japan in early August showed footage of Zhou, visibly heavy and lacking her trademark muscle definition, running the Pre-Olympic marathon; Zhou has also sounded far from confident in recent interviews. While Radcliffe and Zhou may not be at peak fitness, the other two sub 2:20 women in the field, Athens Olympics silver medalist Catherine Ndereba and bronze medalist Deena Kastor both have strong recent performances with powerful finishes. Challenges may also come from a number of other competitors, but Noguchi appears to be in prime shape and ready for anything. A repeat gold medal is not assured, but it would be truly surprising if Noguchi finished out of the medals.
© 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
photos from Rikuren archive
Women`s Marathon
Defending Olympic marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi withdrew from the Olympic marathon on Aug. 12 as a result of an injury she sustained in training on July 25. Alternate Tomo Morimoto, a teammate of Yurika Nakamura at Tenmaya, is also injured, meaning that Japan will field only two runners in the women`s marathon.
Yurika NakamuraBorn: Apr. 1, 1986, Hyogo Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Tenmaya
Olympic Event PB: 2:25:51, 3/9/08
Season Highlights:
-3rd place and PB, Hyogo Relay Carnival 10000m: 31:31.95, 4/27/08
-Winner, Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon: 2:25:51, 3/9/08
Career Highlights:
-Winner, Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2008
-World Road Running Championships, 2006-2007
-World XC Championships, 2005
-Nat’l T&F Championships 5000m, 2006-2007
-Nat’l T&F Championships 10000m, 2006
Yurika Nakamura is the least experienced member of the Japanese distance running team, earning a slot on the Beijing Olympics team by winning her debut marathon, the 2008 Nagoya International Women`s Marathon. Despite her lack of credentials Nakamura was thoroughly convincing in eliminating a field of many of Japan`s best marathon women to take the final Olympic team slot. Her professional team, Tenmaya, has had marathoners in the last two Olympics, but neither of these runners performed up to ability or ran well again after their Olympic appearances.
Since earning her Olympic slot Nakamura has shown unusual intensity, making public her goal of beating Beijing teammates Mizuki Noguchi and Reiko Tosa`s 5000m and 10000m PBs. As of this writing she had taken all but Noguchi`s 10000m PB of 31:21.03 which she missed by only 10 seconds. With only one marathon to go by Nakamura is difficult to judge, but the potential she has shown this spring suggests a top ten finish is possible. Gossip magazines published in Japan the day before the Olympic opening ceremonies claim Nakamura has suffered a mental breakdown due to the intense pressure of being part of Japan`s Olympic women`s marathon team, but the truth of such rumors remains to be seen.
Reiko TosaBorn: June 11, 1973, Ehime Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo
Olympic Event PB: 2:22:46, 2002
Season Highlights:
-World T&F Championships Marathon bronze medalist: 2:30:55, 9/2/07
Career Highlights:
-Silver medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2001
-Bronze medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2007
-Athens Olympics Marathon, 2004
-Winner, 2006 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon and 2004 Nagoya Int’l Women’s Marathon
-World Half Marathon Championships, 1999
-Nat’l T&F Championships 10000m, 2002, 2006
-3rd place, Boston Marathon, 2005
Reiko Tosa stands among the greatest of Japan`s marathon women, a runner who worked her way up from being too slow on the track to earn a spot on a professional team to being a two-time World Championships Marathon medalist and soon-to-be two-time Olympian. Tosa defeated the legendary Naoko Takahashi in heavy rain at the 2006 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon to win a spot on the 2007 Osaka World Championships Marathon team. In Osaka she delivered an inspiring but brutal performance to take the bronze medal and a ticket to Beijing, dropping off the lead pack of five with 2 km to go before grinding her way back up into 3rd place. She has not raced even once since Osaka, suffering first from anemia, then motivational problems, and most recently joint problems in her feet.
A quality performance in Beijing would seem improbable from another athlete, but Tosa has a history of unexpectedly coming back from long periods of injury in time for important races. Just five weeks before last summer`s World Championships Marathon she was on crutches, while she did much of her training for the 2004 Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon, which she won to earn a trip to the Athens Olympics, in the pool. Tosa may well pull off another miraculous comeback in Beijing, but facing as she does five of the eight women in history who have broken 2:20 a medal is unlikely barring upsets in the heat. A 5th place finish by Tosa would be an outstanding result.
Withdrawn:
Mizuki NoguchiBorn: July 3, 1978, Mie Prefecture
Team Affiliation: Sysmex
Olympic Event PB: 2:19:12, 2005 – NR
Season Highlights:
-Winner, Sendai Int’l Half Marathon: 1:08:25, 5/11/08
-Winner and new CR holder, Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon: 2:21:37, 11/18/07
Career Highlights:
-Gold medal, Athens Olympics Marathon, 2004
-NR, marathon: 2:19:12, 2005
-Former NR, half marathon: 1:08:23, 2001
-Silver medal, World T&F Championships Marathon, 2003
-Winner, 2007 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2005 Berlin Marathon, 2004 Athens Olympics Marathon, 2003 Osaka Int’l Women`s Marathon, 2002 Nagoya Int’l Women`s Marathon
-World T&F Championships 10000m, 2001
-World Half Marathon Championships, 1999-2002
-World XC Championships, 2000
Defending Olympic Marathon gold medalist Mizuki Noguchi stands ready to become the first woman to win two Olympic titles. After winning the Athens Olympics Marathon, Noguchi ran the current Japanese national record of 2:19:12 to become the 3rd-fastest woman in history behind world record holder Paula Radcliffe of the U.K. and former world record holder Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, both of whom Noguchi defeated in Athens. Noguchi`s fitness continued to improve following her record-setting run, but a series of accidents including a fall in the bathtub kept her out of marathon competition for over two years. During this period she was not idle, however, among other things doing a detailed electronic form analysis to find ways to reduce her vertical hip movement and become more efficient, and developing tactics and training methods to help her defeat strong rivals such as Radcliffe.
The results were clear. At the 2007 Tokyo Int’l Women`s Marathon, a historic race which saw Noguchi face off against fellow sub-2:20 marathoner Yoko Shibui for the first time, Noguchi tore apart her competition, running a negative split course record 2:21:37 despite the 30m downhill in the first half of the race and 30m uphill in the final 5 km. Noguchi was the first woman to break 17 minutes for the uphill final 5 km portion of the course, and her time was the 2nd fastest in the world for the year behind only Chinese rival Zhou Chunxiu’s 2:20:38 on the faster London Marathon course. More importantly, the surging tactics Noguchi employed in the last quarter of the race were clearly designed to break faster competitors.
Since Tokyo Noguchi has been under close observation by the Japanese media, with major television networks airing documentaries on her training and newspapers reporting any information they can glean. Noguchi has handled the pressure extremely well but has nevertheless faced setbacks in her training. In February she cancelled a planned 30 km world record attempt due to insufficient fitness. In March she withdrew from the National Pro Half Marathon Championships after developing a serious rash while training in Kunming, China. Not until May’s Sendai Int’l Half Marathon, which she won in 1:08:25, did Noguchi demonstrate that she was back on track. Her training has been thorough, disciplined and focused since then, and she now stands as at least a moderate favorite for the Beijing gold medal.
Among her potential competition, Paula Radcliffe has been unable to prepare adequately due to a fractured femur. Noguchi's next most dangerous rival, Zhou Chunxiu is in questionable condition. She won a silver medal at last year`s World Championships despite running with an injury but was mostly out of the competitive scene until she ran in April’s Pre-Olympic test marathon. A documentary aired on national television in Japan in early August showed footage of Zhou, visibly heavy and lacking her trademark muscle definition, running the Pre-Olympic marathon; Zhou has also sounded far from confident in recent interviews. While Radcliffe and Zhou may not be at peak fitness, the other two sub 2:20 women in the field, Athens Olympics silver medalist Catherine Ndereba and bronze medalist Deena Kastor both have strong recent performances with powerful finishes. Challenges may also come from a number of other competitors, but Noguchi appears to be in prime shape and ready for anything. A repeat gold medal is not assured, but it would be truly surprising if Noguchi finished out of the medals.
© 2008 Brett Larner
all rights reserved
photos from Rikuren archive
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